


Making It

by Justadream3535



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: College/University, F/F, Sports Romance, slow-burn romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:41:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22988773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justadream3535/pseuds/Justadream3535
Summary: 18 year-old, Sam, has had a rough life in and out of foster homes. The only constant in her life has been soccer. Follow her story as she navigates through her freshmen year of college at a small school in Oklahoma. Will she be able to overcome her past and receive an offer from a D1 school, or will her past catch up with her?
Kudos: 1





	1. Move-in day

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is a story that I've had in my head for a while now, and I wanted to get it out there. I hope you like it.

Saturday, August 1st. A new beginning. Unfortunately, my new beginning was not starting out the best. Today is move-in day for the athletes whose sports start in the fall, and it is pouring. The short walk from the car to the check-in desk, and I am already soaked through. Oh well, at least I am not the only one who didn't bring an umbrella today. 

Once I'm in the building, I spot the check-in line for the dorms. Thankfully, I am early, and there are not very many people in line yet. I go to stand behind a very tall, muscley dude decked out in the school's gear. Must be a football player, I think to myself. I take the time waiting in line to look around the first floor of this dorm. It doesn't seem like too bad of a place to live. The walls could use a fresh coat of paint, and the smell is slightly moldy, but overall, it seems like a decent place to stay for the next several months.   
This is a much better living situation than my current one of couch surfing at my two best friend's houses. Once I graduated high school in May, I was kicked out of my foster home and into the streets. With school not starting until August, I didn't have a place to go for the summer. Luckily, my two best friends have let me sleep on their couches. Jake and his family would have let me stay the whole summer with them, but that made me feel like I was overstaying. So, I periodically stay over at Shiloh's too.   
Speaking of Shiloh, I guess she got tired of waiting in the car because I see her walking through the door soaking wet. Her short blonde hair is practically glued to her head making her look like she just got out of the shower without drying off. She's wearing black athletic shorts and a red t-shirt from a softball tournament she played in over the summer. I see her run her left-hand through her hair to remove it from her eyes before she finally spots me. 

"Hey! Man, this rain is crazy. Of course, today had to be the day that you moved in."

"Yeah, just my luck. At least I don't have much stuff to move in."

"We should be able to move it all in one trip. That's if you don't mind hulking out." 

I smirk and flex my biceps. "I bet that I can carry more than you can!" 

"Ha! No way, dude. You know that I'm the lift master!" 

I roll my eyes. Of course, Shiloh would say that she's the lift master. She's been working out all summer to improve her arm strength for the upcoming softball season. Shiloh isn't lacking in the muscle department. Her entire body is fully toned like that of an elite athlete, but she always thinks that there is something to improve on. I admire her dedication, but she's kidding herself if she thinks she can carry more than me. I know that the amount of stuff you can carry all comes down to a balancing act. The better you can balance the things in and on your arms, the more you can lift. I grew up bouncing around from one foster home to another and learned this trick quickly. 

"Yeah, yeah, Shi. I bet that I can carry more than you and not let anything fall."

"You're on!" 

Just as we are shaking hands on our bet as to who can carry the most, I hear, "Next!" 

I walk over to the table that has been set up for check-in day and smile down at the woman who will be checking me in. She looks to be in her early thirties with long brown hair, and a kind face. Her demeanor immediately puts me at ease.   
She looks up at me with a smile and says "name?" 

"Sam. Sam Reed." 

She flips through the stack of papers on the table in front of her, finally landing on my name. 

"Alright, Sam, you will be in Stansen Hall. That building is right across the street from this one." She points through the doors we came in. "You will be on the third floor in room 323. It looks like your roommate has not checked in yet, but she is noted to be on the soccer team as well." 

At smaller schools, it's not always guaranteed that you will be roommates with someone that plays the same sport as you. I'm glad that I will be roommates with a teammate and feel like my day is starting to look up.   
"Here is your key card to gain access to the building, and here is your dorm room key. If you ever lose either, the replacement office is in this building on the first floor in room 102. You can begin moving your stuff in now, but remember to retrieve your student ID card by the end of the day. If you have any questions or need help with anything, you can ask your RA on the floor of your building. Welcome to River Fork University!" She gives me one last smile before I turn and walk towards where Shiloh is standing off to the side. 

I flash Shiloh a smile and hold up my key card and key to her. "We're in!" 

"Yeah, man! How does it feel to have your own place?" 

It's not technically my own place. It's the universities. And I will be sharing with a roommate, but it's a much better situation than I've been in the last few weeks. At least I'll have a bed, and a closet, and a door that I can shut to give myself some privacy. I've been looking forward to move-in day ever since I signed my letter of intent to play at River Fork my Junior year of high school. I suddenly feel a rush of emotions, and the one that sticks out the most is sadness. Sadness that I don't have a family that I know. I don't have parents that are helping me move in today. My siblings don't even know that I'm going to college. I don't have any contact with them. I have Jake, and I have Shiloh, and that's about it. At least Shiloh came with me today. Jake couldn't get out of work. I don't blame him. He needs the money for his upcoming semester. I snap out of my spiraling thoughts before I can sink too far down. 

I give Shiloh a half-smile, "Good. It feels good."

Shiloh gives me a knowing look. Like she can see the thoughts and emotions written all over my face. 

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go move your shit in! Don't forget that I'm going to carry more than youuuu." She practically sings the last part as she turns to head out back to the car. 

I smile and shake my head at her antics. I'm really going to miss her while she's at her university and I'm at mine.


	2. The Dorm

Shiloh and I find ourselves standing outside of the doors to Stansen Hall with all of my stuff in our hands. In our haste to prove that we were the superior carrier of things, we didn't think to consider how we would open the door to the dorm. My key card is currently tucked into my back jean pocket, and neither of us has a free hand to grab it and swipe us in. The building has an anvil above the doors, so at least we are saved from the rain. 

I glance over to Shiloh, "I, clearly, am carrying more than you are. The key card is in my back pocket. You can swipe us in."

"Oh, no, no, no. I am carrying more than you are, and the key card is in your back pocket. You put some stuff down and swipe us in."   
I roll my eyes but give in. Shiloh is as stubborn as the day is long, and I know that we would be stuck out here arguing for hours before she ever gave in. I'm eager to see my new room and to get settled in. I also desperately want to get out of my soaked clothes. Jeans were not the smartest choice for today. I should have worn athletic shorts like Shiloh, but I wanted to make a good first impression. 

"Fine. But I'm only giving in because I'm ready to see where I will be living for the next several months. You and I both know that I'm carrying the most." Shiloh laughs and mutters a "Sure, sure." 

I put a few bags of clothes on the ground, reach into my pocket to grab the key card, and swipe it to let us both inside the building. I hold open the door for Shiloh to walk through, bend down to grab the rest of my stuff, and head inside. 

We stop a few feet away from the door so that we can get our bearings. The entry is large, with a lot of open space. The walls are tan and muted, but the building is thankfully lacking the moldy smell the other one had. To the right is a sitting area with several chairs and a few couches. There's a TV mounted on the wall. To the left is what looks like a study room. There's a table with chairs around it with a whiteboard on the wall. In front of us and slightly to the left are the elevators and stairs. Slightly to the right is a hallway to the dining area and more lounges and study rooms. It doesn't appear that any student rooms are on the first floor. That's probably a good thing with all of the comings and goings at all times of day and night. 

I look over at Shiloh. "Shall we head up to find my room and put my things away first?" 

"Yeah, man. I'm not lugging your stuff around while we go explore." 

She makes a good point. I had slightly forgotten that we had all of my stuff with the excitement of exploring my building. 

Shiloh starts heading towards the elevators. "Let's take the elevator up there. I know you are Ms. Healthy when it comes to taking the stairs, but I'm not carrying all your stuff up two flights."

"Oh, come on, Shiloh. It's only two flights." I tease her. To be honest, I don't want to carry all of my stuff up two flights of stairs, either. I head towards the elevator with her and tap the up button with my hip. 

"Niiiice." Shiloh laughs. 

I laugh too as the elevator doors open, and we step inside. I choose to use my hand this time to hit the number 3 button for the third floor. There are only eight floors in this building. I'm glad that I'm only on the third floor because I am not a fan of heights. The third floor will keep my anxiety at bay, and the two flights of stairs will be a nice workout each day. 

The elevator doors open onto the third floor, and we both step out into the hallway. The hallway reminds me of a hotel hallway, but maybe a bit more worn down. You can tell that the carpet is well worn and could probably use replacing. The tan color on the walls matches the color on the first floor, and the doors are all painted black. There's a plaque in front of the elevators that points to the direction of the room numbers. Room 321 to 340 is to the right, and it looks like room 323 is the second door on the left side of the hallway. 

I set my stuff on the ground outside of my door and use the key to unlock the doorknob. Here goes nothing. I turn the handle and push the door open to peer inside my new room. I immediately notice the two desks that are sitting side by side in front of the window right in front of me. On either side of each desk is a twin size bed against the wall. At the foot of each bed is a dresser. To my left is a small closet. It looks like my roommate and I will be sharing it. Immediately to the right of the door is the bathroom. It looks like the bathroom is shared between our room and the room next door. That could be an inconvenience, but I don't mind. This is my room. This is something that I can finally call mine for the next several months. 

I pick the bed on the left side of the room and place the things I'm carrying onto the bed. I sit on the edge of the bed for a moment to let my thoughts wash over me and to take in the moment. This eight-foot by five-foot section of the room is mine. I have my own bed, my own desk, my own dresser, and part of a closet. I have never had furniture to call mine. I've never had a room to call mine. I am overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. I persevered all throughout high school for this. Even longer if I'm honest with myself. I always wanted more. This is my chance to get more for myself. It starts with a simple small space to call mine, and a chance to earn an education. 

Shiloh stands in the doorway to give me some space. I know that her arms must be burning by now to put my stuff down. 

"You can come in, Shi. Just put my stuff on the bed. I'll put it all away later." 

She moves into the room. "Not a bad place, Sam, not bad at all." She gives me a big smile, and I smile back at her. Despite the rough way that the day started out, it's still the best day that I've had in a long while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think of the story so far! Thank you to everyone who has read it!


	3. Roommate

I'm back in my room after exploring the dorm with Shiloh and grabbing something to eat for lunch. Shi left about a half-hour ago to go work out. I'm starting to wonder when my roommate will show when the door opens. In walks a short blonde carrying a box of stuff. She's closely followed by a slightly taller blonde that I assume must be her mom, a tall, grey-haired man, and a blonde boy that looks to be about fifteen. It looks like the rain has stopped because all four of them are dry. 

"Hey! You must be Sam. I'm Reagan." 

How does she know my name already? "Hey! Yeah, I'm Sam." 

Reagan smiles at me and starts introducing her family. "This is my mom, my dad, and my little brother, Ryan."

Her mom gives me a smile and walks over towards me. She extends her hand to me and says, "Hey, Sam. I'm Emily Williams. It's nice to meet you. Are you ready for the season to start?" She and her daughter look almost identical. They both have long blonde hair, green eyes, and the same oval-shaped face. They both are wearing jeans with black flats, but instead of a soccer t-shirt like Reagan, Mrs. Williams is wearing a flowing green blouse that really brings out her green eyes. Mrs. Williams is just about an inch or two taller than her daughter and looks to be about five foot six. They both have the same body frame, which is long and lean, but Mrs. Williams lacks the muscle tone that Reagan has. 

I shake her hand, smile, and say, "Hi, Mrs. Williams. It's really nice to meet you, too. Yes, I'm really excited to begin the season. I can't wait to get started training with the team and meeting everyone." 

"You're a freshman?" She asks. 

Reagan is facing her bed, pulling things out of a box. Her dad and brother have put down both of their boxes, and they've left the room. I assume they've gone to bring in more of Reagan's things. 

"Yes, Ma'am. This is my freshman year."

"What position do you play?"

"Forward. Or I at least played forward in high school and on my rec team. I played left, right, and center forward. Pretty much wherever my teams needed me. I'm not sure what position I'll be playing here, though, or if I will be starting even. I mean, I hope I'm starting, but..." I trail off awkwardly, feeling like I just vomited up a lot of unnecessary words. I tend to talk too much when I get nervous, and I'm nervous about meeting my new roommate and her family. I want to make a good impression, and I want Reagan to like me. This year will go so much better if Reagan and I can get along. 

Reagan turns around to face her mom and me and says, "I play right-mid. I got quite a bit of playing time last year, and am hoping to be a consistent starter this year. I've worked all off-season to improve my speed and passing accuracy." 

"So, you're a sophomore this year?" I ask. Slightly surprised that I'm not rooming with a fellow freshman. I know that there are four incoming freshmen this year, and I thought that we would be paired up together. 

Reagan must see the confusion on my face because she quickly answers, "Yeah, I'm a sophomore. Coach likes to make sophomores and freshmen room together so that the freshmen will have someone to help them navigate the first few weeks of training and classes." Which does make a lot of sense. I already feel better knowing that I can have Reagan show me where my classes will be and to show me the ropes at training. 

Reagan's brother and dad walk back into the room, carrying a small television and a few bags of clothes. Mrs. Williams notices their arrival too and quickly introduces them. "Honey, why don't you come over here and meet Sam. Sam, this is my husband, Mike. Mike, this is Sam. And this is our son, Ryan." Mr. Williams walks over to shake my hand. "Hey, Sam. It's nice to meet you." The only feature Reagan got from her dad is her nose. Mr. Williams is tall, a little over six feet tall and thin with a very long face that matches his long nose. He has grey hair and brown eyes. I give him a small smile that he doesn't return and say, "Hey, Mr. Williams. It's nice to meet you too." He then walks over to place a hand on Reagan's shoulder and starts talking to her in a low murmur. I definitely received a colder welcome from him than I did Mrs. Williams. Maybe that's how they are, though. Mrs. Williams is nice and talkative, Mr. Williams.... not so much. 

Ryan gives me a shy smile and a quick wave but stays where he is near the door. He's a good blend between his mom and his dad in facial features but favors his mom and sister more. He has the matching blonde hair that is cut short and the same green eyes. He's about the same height as his mom but looks to still be growing. 

Mrs. Williams takes a look around the room, "Is this all of the stuff you brought, Reagan?" 

"Yeah, dad and Ryan brought the rest of it up. This should be everything."

"Do you want us to stay to help you unpack, or are you ready for us to leave?" She laughs, and Reagan joins her.

"You guys don't have to stay, mom. I can get this taken care of myself. You guys have a long drive home."

I'm curious as to where Reagan is from. "A long drive home? Where are you from?"

Mrs. Williams answers for Reagan, "We are from Pearland, Texas. It's just south of Houston." 

Reagan adds on, "It's an almost nine-hour drive. We had to leave at 4 this morning, which sucked, but I napped on the way here." 

"You're going to drive all the way back today?" I ask. That's a long time to be in the car. I would hate to be stuck sitting in a car all day. I need time to move. 

"Yeah, we need to get Ryan back for his first high school soccer scrimmage tomorrow. He's only a freshman, but he made the varsity team." Mrs. Williams is beaming as she talks about Ryan. 

"Hey, that's really cool. Congrats on making varsity!" I say to Ryan and smile at him. 

He sheepishly looks towards the floor, "Thanks." 

"Yeah, Ryan's following in my footsteps, aren't you, bro? I've taught him everything he knows." Reagan walks over to her little brother, and playfully pushes his shoulder. 

Ryan laughs and says, "Sure, Reagan, whatever you say." 

Reagan pulls Ryan in for a hug, "I'm gonna miss you, Ry. Good luck this season and be sure to text me after every game to give me a play by play. I want to hear all about how you're doing this season." 

"I will. Don't worry." He says. 

Mrs. Williams moves towards me to shake my hand again, "It was nice meeting you, Sam. Good luck with your first year of college. We'll be seeing you at a few games this season." 

"Thanks, Mrs. Williams. I look forward to seeing you all again. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Williams, and Ryan." Mr. Williams just gives me a brief look, but Ryan smiles at me and offers a "See you." I'm starting to get the feeling that Mr. Williams doesn't like me, but I'm not sure what I could have done to offend him. Oh well. I only have to see him a few more times this season. 

Reagan tells me that she is going to walk her family down to the car to say goodbye and that she will be back up to our room in a few minutes. I take a moment to look at all of the stuff she brought from home. She brought a TV, a DVD player, an Apple laptop, and lots of clothes. Those are the things that she has unpacked so far. My items seem meager compared to hers. 

I've been saving up money from my job as a bagger at a grocery store to buy the items I needed for college. I bought light blue sheets, a light blue comforter, and pillows for my bed. I saved for months to be able to afford a refurbished Toshiba laptop that's a few years old. I have the entire Harry Potter series of books, a few soccer medals, and two bags of clothes with me. Plus, all of my soccer gear. Which is pretty meager, to be honest. I only own two pairs of worn down cleats, two sets of shin pads, and a ball. My backpack has the books I need for this semester, plus notebooks, and pens. I have my toiletries for the bathroom, plus two towels, and then my phone. I've got an old IPhone 8 that Jake handed down to me. I allow myself two luxuries, and those are my Netflix account and my unlimited data plan. I gotta make sure I stay active on Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Not that I have too many friends on any of those platforms. I mainly use them to keep up with the soccer world. Netflix is used to play The Office, Parks and Rec, and Schitt's Creek on repeat. Those shows have really helped me get through some tough times in my life. 

Reagan returns to our room and walks over to her bed to unpack the rest of her stuff. "So, Sam, where are you from?" 

I've finished unpacking and placing my things away, so I decide to sit on the edge of my bed to give Reagan my attention. "Oh, I'm from a small town about twenty minutes to the South of here. It's called Purcell, and I've lived there all of my life." 

"Cool. So somewhat of a local."

"Yeah, somewhat." 

"Did your parents help you move-in today, and will they be coming to the home games since they live so close?"

The parent talk was bound to come up sooner or later. Might as well get it over with now. "Umm, no. My best friend, Shiloh, helped me move in today." I notice some confusion on Reagan's face. "I've been in foster homes since I was eight. I don't know where my parents are, and I haven't had any contact with them since then."

Reagan has a look of surprise on her face that quickly turns to pity. "I'm so sorry, Sam. I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject."

"Don't apologize. You didn't know about my lack of parents. No worries." I give her a small smile to help reassure her. 

"Well, while we are on the subject.. do you have any siblings, or is it just you?"

I'm more touchy about this subject than I am with my parents. I have two younger brothers that were only 1 and 2 when we were all taken away from our parents. I have an aunt in Arkansas that took the boys but decided that I would be too much of a hassle on top of them. 

"Yes and no. I do have two younger brothers, but they were adopted, and I wasn't. I haven't seen them in person in a few years, but we do talk on the phone once a week. Charlie is 11 now, and Henry is 12." 

Reagan looks like she doesn't quite know what to say, and I don't blame her. This is an awkward topic to talk about, and I generally don't like talking about it either. I've come to terms with not being adopted by my aunt, and I'm glad that my brothers have had a good life with her so far. I still struggle with feelings of being unwanted, but I can also be happy that my brothers were wanted. It took many years of going to my school counselor weekly to get to the accepting point that I'm at. I still struggle at times, but I don't have the anger issues that I used to have. 

I decide to rescue Reagan from the subject by asking her about the team meeting tomorrow morning. "It's okay. We don't have to talk about that anymore. We've got the team meeting in the morning. What can I expect from that?" 

Reagan looks relieved from the change of subject. "The team meeting tomorrow allows everyone to get to know each other again. Or, more for the freshmen to get to know the team. Coach Jennings will go over the team rules, expectations, and will answer any questions people have. Then we will have our physicals done so that we can begin practice on Monday. The team gets together for lunch afterward, and then we will meet up again in the training room for some team bonding exercises in the evening. Coach Jennings is all about team chemistry. It's important for everyone to get to know each other, and at least be on a friendly basis." 

"What's coach Jennings like? I've only met him a few times when he was recruiting me. We haven't had any prolonged conversation, though."

"He's a really great coach. He's a bit of a hard ass during the games, but that's just how he gets fired up. He's a fair coach that rewards hard work and improvement. He expects respect and gives respect in return. He's not all serious all of the time either. He likes to let us have fun at practices and encourages team bonding nights."

I had a good feeling about coach Jennings when he first started recruiting me. What Reagan is telling me about him just reinforces those good feelings. I think that I will be able to improve my game and even excel under him. Talking about practice and team bonding is getting me excited for the season. I can't wait for tomorrow morning to get here so that season can really begin. 

The rest of the night goes by quickly. Reagan and I continue to get to know each other, and the conversation flows easily. We both decide to grab a quick bite of dinner in the dorm cafeteria and then head back up to the room to watch The Office. Reagan likes The Office, Parks and Rec, and Schitt's Creek too. She promises to introduce me to some new stuff on Netflix that she thinks I will like. We both decide to try and get some sleep around eleven. We have to be in the training room by eight the next morning. I set my alarm on my phone and fall asleep, filled with excitement for the coming days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me!


	4. Team Meeting

My alarm goes off at 7 am. I hear Reagan's alarm going off as well. She groans and rolls over to shut hers off. I sit up on the edge of my bed and rub the sleep from my eyes. 

"Do you want the first shower?" I ask her. 

"No, you take it. I will gladly lay in bed for a few more minutes." She mumbles from the side of her pillow. Her sleepy voice and reluctance to get up makes me chuckle. I'm glad she lets me have the first shower because I already have butterflies in my stomach for the day to come. I'm excited to meet everyone. 

After my shower, I'm trying to decide between wearing athletic gear or making a good impression by dressing up a bit. I decided to try to make a good first impression again by wearing jeans, my black vans, and a plain, sky-blue t-shirt that really brings out the blue in my eyes. I've got my short dark-brown hair slicked back on the sides and messy on top. I like to run my hands through it a few times and leave it at that. I run my hands through my hair often throughout the day, so my hair never stays just one way. I decide to leave my lip ring in, as well as my earrings since we aren't actually practicing today. I want my teammates to see the real me upon our first meeting. 

I notice that Reagan is dressing up in jeans and a nice shirt for the meeting this morning, as well, so I know that I've made a good decision. The soccer field and field house are located about a mile away from the dorms, so we hop in Reagan's car to get there quicker than walking. 

Once we get to the parking lot, I notice several girls getting out of their cars and walking into the building. It's almost surreal to me. I've worked so hard to get to this point, to prove to myself and others that I'm above where I came from. I can make something of myself, and that starts with proving myself on the soccer field. I have talent, and I have skills. I know that I can bring a positive impact to this team. 

Reagan and I get out of her car and walk into the building with a few other teammates. Reagan immediately recognizes a few and starts talking to them. I hang back a bit and follow them into the classroom we will be using for today. The room has four rows of three tables across with six seats per row. The front of the classroom has a dry erase board and a projector screen. It looks like this is where we will be watching film, too. Coach Jennings is standing up at the front with assistant coach Carter, and another coach that I'm not familiar with, yet. Most of the seats are taken, but Reagan and I find two empty ones on the left side of the third row. I'm thankful that Reagan chooses to sit with me so that I am not awkwardly sitting next to someone I don't know yet. I'm not very outgoing when it comes to large groups of people. I tend to hang with the people I know or to myself. Big groups of people tend to overwhelm me. 

Coach Jennings is deep in conversation with the other two coaches, and players are still milling about, so I take these few moments to gaze around the room. A few players stand out to me, and others blend in with each other. I like to try to guess what position someone may play based on how they carry themselves and their appearance. I know that sounds bad, but you really can tell a lot about someone by their posture, clothing style, etc. in regards to what position they play on the field. For instance, sitting together in the front row are two taller players that have chosen to wear athletic shorts and a t-shirt for this meeting. They aren't looking to impress anyone because they probably know that they're impressive in whatever they wear. They both have a look of ease and confidence to them. They've gotta be goalkeepers. Goalkeepers tend to be relaxed and have a confident attitude. One has long black hair that's pulled back into a ponytail, and the other has long, light-brown hair that has been left down and wavy. 

Coach Jennings pulls me from my thoughts as he says, "Alright. Good morning everyone. Welcome to the new faces and welcome back to the old faces." This gets a slight chuckle from the majority of the room. " As you all know, I'm head coach Will Jennings. This is assistant coach Shelby Carter. At the end is goalkeeper coach Billy Andovski. You'll be meeting Michelle Dean later today. She's our new team doctor that will also be getting everyone on the right track eating wise. Tomorrow, you guys will meet Coach Seth Green. He will be the new strength and conditioning coach this year. Now, I know that the majority of you know each other already, but for the freshmen and two transfer students, I want everyone to go around the room and introduce yourselves. Ellie, we'll start with you. Stand, say your name, where you're from, and what position and year you are." 

The player with the long, wavy, light-brown hair that I was scoping out earlier stands and says, "Hey, everyone. I'm Ellie Goodman. I'm a senior goalkeeper, and I'm from Jackson, Mississippi." Goalkeeper. I knew it! 

The player with the long black hair tied back in a ponytail stands next, "I'm Claire Archer. I'm from Fort Worth, Texas. I'm a goalkeeper, and I'm a junior." I called it right on both of them. 

"Hannah Mendoza. I'm a center-forward. I'm from Phoenix, Arizona, and I'm a senior."

"Hey, I'm Sophia Zhang, and I'm from New Orleans, Louisiana. I play right-forward, and I'm a senior." 

We go through the entire first row and then get to the second. The girl who stands up at the end of the second row immediately grabs my attention. The way she carries herself makes me automatically think that she's a lesbian too. Of course, I shouldn't stereotype because you never know, but I've got a good feeling that my gaydar isn't letting me down. I feel relieved to not be the only lesbian on the team. Again, I'm stereotyping because there could be others, but they aren't as visible as me and, "Hey, I'm Karson McKnight. I'm a center-back and a junior this year. My home is in Topeka, Kansas." Karson. Yeah, a name like that, her short, styled hair, and the swagger she radiates? She's for sure a lesbian. Karson has short, light brown, almost blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a smirk that seems to just be on her face at all times. She looks to be the tallest player on the team at six feet and is well toned. 

We continue down the rows until it's Reagan's turn to introduce herself. I feel my cheeks heating up and turning red as she speaks. I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to a large group putting their focus on me. Reagan sits back down, and it's my turn to introduce myself. "Uh, hey, everyone. I'm Sam Reed, and I'm from Purcell, Oklahoma. I'm a freshman, and I play center-forward." I quickly sit back down so that everyone's focus will go to the next girl. I notice a few eyes lingering on me. Probably trying to figure out what to make of me and my appearance. 

As my fellow teammates continue to introduce themselves, I make sure to pay attention to the other freshmen and the other forwards. There are only three other freshmen, and they are Sydney Brunn, a goalkeeper, Jamie Lemieux, a center-back, and Taryn Elliot, a left-back. There are two sophomore forwards, Chloe Ellison and Cassie Smith. There's only one junior forward, Kaylee Bell, and the two senior forwards that have already introduced themselves, Hannah Mendoza and Sophia Zhang. 

Once the last person has introduced herself, coach Jennings begins going over the team expectations and rules. The rules are pretty standard and will be easy to follow. We are required to attend classes, turn in assignments before the due dates if we will be gone for games, and must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. We also have to put in at least ten study hours a week. We are required to attend all practices and games, and must follow the diet coach Dean will be creating for us. Inter-team dating is highly discouraged but isn't against the rules. Huh, I wonder how many times teammates have dated? I wouldn't date a teammate. It sounds like too much drama, especially if things were to go wrong. 

The rest of the day goes by in an exciting blur. Coach Dean comes in around ten to do each of our physicals. Everyone receives a clean bill of health to begin training the next day. She does the physicals in class order, so the freshmen are last. This gives me a chance to get to know the other freshmen, what dorms they're in, and who they are rooming with. Jamie and I really hit it off and have quite a lot in common. She's from Tallahassee, Florida, and is a center-back. I look forward to getting to know her better and think that she could become a really good friend on the team. 

Coach Jennings lets us go at lunch and gives us the afternoon off. He tells us to meet at the field at 5 this evening for a team dinner and some bonding games. I'm really looking forward to getting to know my teammates better, and to see who the most competitive is.


	5. Bonding Games

Reagan and I spent the afternoon in our dorm watching Netflix. We both wanted to unwind from the busy morning before heading out to the team dinner and team bonding activities. It was getting close to when we should be heading back out to the field, so I asked Reagan, "How physical are these team bonding activities? Should I change into shorts and a t-shirt?" 

"Yeah, it's a good idea to change into athletic gear. The team can become pretty competitive at this thing." 

That's an understatement for sure. Putting twenty-four girls together for some bonding activities is sure to erupt into plenty of competitiveness. We all want to prove ourselves as superior athletes. "I can't wait. I've got some nervous energy I want to burn."

"Awe. Don't be nervous, Sam. You'll do great." Reagan said as she looked over at me from lying on her bed. 

"No, it's not that. I just don't really know anyone yet, and that always makes me nervous. I'll settle in soon. Tonight is sure to help with that." I say as I get out of my bed to look for shorts and a t-shirt to change into. 

"You'll get to know just about everyone tonight. Especially the girls in your group. Coach always splits us into groups for these things." Reagan joins me in searching for shorts and a t-shirt to wear. I'm still not comfortable changing in front of her, yet, so I head to the bathroom for privacy. I don't mind changing in front of a bunch of people in a locker room because everyone is doing their own thing, but changing in front of one person is still uncomfortable. It feels too intimate or something. 

Once we've both changed, we go down to Reagan's car to head over to the field. We get to the parking lot at the same time as most of the other girls and head to the soccer field this time. There are already a few players milling about on the side-lines. Reagan and I join them, and Reagan starts talking to a few. Even though I don't say much, Reagan keeps me involved in the conversation. I notice that coach Jennings, coach Carter, and coach Andovski are heading our direction from the locker rooms. Most of the other girls notice too, and we fall mostly quiet in anticipation of the games that will begin. I notice that they are carrying various things that must be for our bonding games. Coach Andovski has what looks like wooden planks in his arms with ropes attached. Coach Carter is carrying whiteboards and buckets. Coach Jennings is carrying a bag of what looks to be string balls. 

"Alright, ladies, are you all ready for some fun?" Cach Jennings asked us. 

We all whooped and cheered in response.

"Good. Now, I'll be splitting you up into four groups of six. I'll be assigning the team captains for each group, and the team captains that I assign will be the captains of our team for the remainder of the season. So, to get started, in group one, our team captain will be Ellie." Cheers and claps erupted from the team. "Congratulations, Ellie! Jordan, Vanessa, Kinsley, Alaina, and Sydney will be joining your group. Good luck, ladies!"

The girls named to group one moved off to the left. 

"Alright, group two. Kaylee, you will be captain of group two. Congratulations, Kaylee." Cheers and claps erupted for Kaylee. "Meadow, Desirae, Sophia, Taryn, and Reagan will join your group." Group two moved to the back of the pack to stand together.

"Group three will be lead by Hannah." The loudest of the cheers and claps erupted for Hannah. She seems to be well-liked amongst the team. "Congratulations, Hannah. Claire, Alex, Chloe, Karson, and Sam will join you." We stepped off to the left. 

"Alright, so group four, you can see who is left. Danielle, you will be the team captain." Cheers and applause erupted for Danielle. "Obviously, McKenzie, Bailey, Cassie, Jacey, and Jamie will join you. Congratulations to the four-team captains! Let's have another round of applause for Ellie, Kaylee, Danielle, and Hannah!" Everybody clapped, whistled, and yelled for them. 

"The first two games we will play will be getting to know you games. The second two games will be working as one unit games with some competition." There are murmurs of approval at that. "Some competition, ladies, we don't need any injuries." Coach Jennings says with a hint of a smile in his voice. I think he knows that there won't be any holding back. We all want to win, even if it is just a bonding game. "I'll let coach Carter explain the first game, and we will get started. Please take these games seriously, but also have fun!"

Coach Carter steps forward to explain the first game. "I'm sure you all have heard about speed dating, correct?" There were murmurs of affirmation, and coach Carter continued, "Good. That's what we will be doing for our first exercise. Speed teammate dating." Some confused looks passed between players, and there was some laughter at that. "I have printed out ten get to know you questions for each of you to ask the players in your group. You'll take turns being one on one with each person and you will ask the same ten questions to each player." She began passing out little sheets of paper to everyone. "Now, try to pay attention to each player's answer. These are just simple get to know you questions, but it is important to pay attention. These questions will also help break the ice and hopefully make it easier for you guys to get to know each other. I know some of you know each other really well, already, and that's great, but we need everyone to know each other on a basic level. It's important that there is good team chemistry. Have fun!" 

I glanced down at the piece of paper with the questions. They really were very simple and would be easy to answer. I quickly answer them in my head as I read them over. The ten questions are: 

What's your favorite color? Easy. Pretty much any shade of blue. I'm not picky. Green is a close second. Especially if it's any shade of blue/green. 

What's your favorite drink? Root beer. 

What's your favorite meal? I love a good medium-rare steak with asparagus and bread. 

What's your favorite movie? I love Avatar. 

What type of music is your favorite to listen to? That's harder to answer. I like dance/alternative music. Think Luna Shadows, XYLO, Machineheart, and Bloc Party. 

Do you prefer cats or dogs? Dogs all the way. 

What's your favorite T.V. show? The Office hands down. 

Do you have any siblings? Two younger brothers. 

What are you majoring in? English and childhood education. I'd like to be a high school teacher that also coaches. 

Do you have any pregame rituals or routines? I put my left sock on first, then my right. I put my left shin guard in first and then my right. I put on my left shoe and then my right. I also jump over the line onto the field. 

Hannah brings us together, "Okay, group three, let's pair up. Clair and Alex, you two go first together. I'll go with Chloe, and Sam and Karson, you guys go together first." She turns to Chloe, and they begin going over the list of questions. Karson saunters over with an easy smile on her face, she sticks out her hand for me to shake and says, "Karson McKnight, you?" 

I shake her hand and say, "Sam Reed." 

"Well, let's get this thing rolling, Sam. What's your favorite color?" She asks me the list of questions in an easy, laid back manner, but makes sure to pay attention to each answer. She even asks a few follow up questions. She's smiling, engaging, and confident, where I'm still hesitant and unsure of myself. She reminds me a lot of my best friend, Shiloh. It's my turn to ask her the questions, and our conversation flows easily. Karson's favorite color is bright red, her favorite drink is Dr. Pepper, and her favorite meal is anything her mom cooks. She really misses her mom's cooking while away at college. Her favorite movie is anything Marvel, and she listens to "anything that's on the radio, really. I'm not picky." Karson prefers dogs over cats, loves The Office, has one older sister, and is majoring in physical therapy. She has an elaborate morning routine on game days that involves getting up at 8 AM sharp, drinking a cup of tea, and writing about how she hopes the game will go. After the game, she writes about how the game actually went, any mistakes she made, and what she can improve on. I'm impressed by her dedication to the game. Once Karson and I have finished up, I take my turn with the other members in my group. I notice a common theme that my group prefers Dr. Pepper. I seem to be the only one that doesn't like it and likes root beer. Chloe has two younger brothers like me, Hannah loves The Office and watches it on repeat. Claire also wants to go into education as a teacher and a coach, like me. Alex and I have similar music tastes, and we instantly bond over some of our favorite bands. 

Once all of the teams have completed the first activity, coach Carter steps forward to explain our next activity. "Okay, ladies, our next activity is the strengths and weaknesses game. You'll split your question paper in half, and on one half, you'll write down your strength on the field. What are you the best at? On the other half, you'll write down your weaknesses on the field. Be honest, everyone, what could use the most improvement in your game? Each captain will have a bucket that you place your two pieces of paper in, and then they will pull each out and write it on the dry erase board in their respective columns. Make sure you label what your strengths and weaknesses are, but you do not have to put your name on it. Everyone understand? Good! Let's get started." 

I grab a pen from Hannah and start to write down my strength and my weakness. My weakness is easy, I get pushed off the ball easily. I don't stand my ground that well, and if another player hip checks me, I get moved off the ball easily. I hate that, and I've tried working on it, but it's still a big struggle for me. My strength, hmmm, what is my strength? I guess I'm pretty good at hitting the upper corners when I take a shot on goal. I almost never miss scoring. I decide to write both of those down, and I place them in the bucket that Hannah is holding. 

The rest of my group places their strengths and weaknesses in the bucket, and Hannah stirs it around so we can remain anonymous. She then begins pulling the papers out and writing the strengths and weaknesses on the dry erase board. Once she's done, we gather around her to look over the board. 

Group three's weaknesses: Hitting the upper corners of the net, knowing when to stay back or push forward, getting forward with the ball, crosses, cross accuracy, and getting pushed off the ball. 

Group three's strengths: Ball control, side to side saves, ball handling, bending shots, ball handling, and hitting the upper corners of the net. 

There's a lot of similarities and opposites on the board. It looks like we could help each other work on our weaknesses and improve our strengths. 

Coach Carter steps forward and says, "It looks like everyone is wrapping up this game. Take a look at your boards together as a group. For thirty minutes at the end of each practice, your group will be working on your strengths and weaknesses together. So, team captains hold onto these boards, and I look forward to the collaboration and teamwork that will come of this game. Now, are you all ready for some real fun?" There are very loud cheers at that, and coach Carter breaks into a big smile. "We will be doing the plank challenge first, and then we will be doing the string ball challenge. You will be competing against the other groups in both of these challenges. They are going to make you use communication and teamwork. Communication is key, so make sure that you develop strong communication skills with each other in these activities."

Coach Jennings and coach Andovski step forward with wooden planks and rope strings attached to them. Coach Carter grabs two from coach Jennings and hands them to Hannah, "each group will get these two wooden 4x4's with six rope handles attached to them. Each player in the group must stand on the wooden planks, one foot per plank, and hold onto the ropes. The object is to move with the planks as one across the field. Now, we won't make you go the entire field, just from one side-line to the other." She's finished passing out the planks, and everyone is moving into their groups.   
There's lots of talking and movement going on, but Hannah pulls us in close. "This challenge is going to take a lot of teamwork. I'll be in the front, and I'll be the one that leads us down the field. We will all need to work together to move these boards and ourselves. Let's win this thing!"

Everyone is scrambling around to get into line on our planks, there's lots of laughter and jokes being made. Hannah steps into the first position, followed by Chloe, Alex, Claire, me, and then Karson is in the last spot. It's awkward to even stand on the planks, we are all right up against each other, and it's difficult to move without bumping into the person behind or in front of you. This could get interesting. If one person starts to fall, we all could fall. I really hope we don't all faceplant, although it would probably be pretty funny.

All four groups are lined up on the side-line with the three coaches off to the left side of us. Coach Jennings says, "Ready everyone? Aaaannnndd go!" Immediately there's awkward pulling on the strings and girls lifting their feet without lifting the boards. There are several voices yelling all at once, and it's general utter chaos. 

Hannah slightly turns her body around and says, "Guys, listen to me. I'm going to say left and right, and that's it. Let's lift as one when I say left and vice versa. We can do this. Left!" she shouts. 

We all pull up on our left ropes and raise our left legs, now stuck in an awkward limbo. "Shit," Hannah says. "I'm going to say forward, too, so forward." We all shift our left leg forward. It's like being on wobbly skis. I look over and notice that two other teams are struggling like us and aren't moving much, but Reagan's team has about a half plank lead on everyone else. Damn. 

"Right," Hannah yells, "forward!" We do as she says, and our legs are even now. Hannah repeats herself a few times, and we actually develop a nice rhythm. Reagan's team is almost a full plank in front of the rest of us now. There's still a lot of yelling, and many voices trying to talk over each other, but we are letting Hannah lead us and are listening to only her. All of a sudden, Reagan's team falls forward, all of them piled up on top of each other. The rest of us erupt into laughter. "Dude, that was awesome!" I hear Karson say from behind me. I'm doubled over from laughing so hard, and I can feel Karson's hands against my back, as I'm leaning into Claire. Reagan's team is scrambling to get back up as Hannah gathers herself to say, "come on, guys, let's go! We can catch up to them." We scramble to get back in line and to grab our ropes. We are all about half-way across the pitch now. The other teams have figured out that we can take advantage of Reagan's team being down and are scrambling to get back onto their boards as well. 

Through much laughter, yelling, stumbles, and teamwork, group three crosses the finish line in second place. Reagan's team was able to regain themselves enough to pull off the win. Even though I'm disappointed that we didn't win, that was one of the most fun challenges I've ever done. Everyone is gathered in a group, laughing and talking about the near falls, the major faceplant, and how awkward it was to try and walk on the planks together. 

Coach Jennings walks up and is laughing along with us, "So, that was a really fun challenge for everyone, but I hope you guys paid attention to how much communication and teamwork was used in that challenge. The next challenge will test the listening skills for the majority of you, and the communication skills of our leaders. You will also be competing against the other teams to see who can unravel their string ball the quickest."

"Now, each team will have one string ball that has five strings all tangled together. Each member, except for our leaders, will grab on to an end of the string. You guys will stand in a circle with your eyes closed. Only the leaders will have their eyes open, and they will be directing you all on how to untangle the strings." Coach Jennings says as he holds up one of the string balls as a demonstration. "Captains, it will be important for you to have clear and concise instructions. Everyone else, it will be important to listen to your captains and do exactly what they say. As soon as you guys get into your groups, you can start!" And with that, he tossed a ball to each team captain, and off we went. 

Chloe, Alex, Karson, Claire, and I quickly grab our ends of the string and stand in a circle. I'm in between Chloe and Alex, with Karson and Claire across from me. Hannah is standing right next to the ball, in between Chloe and I. "Okay, guys, shut your eyes. Sam, you are going to walk straight and step over the ball." 

I start walking forward. "Not yet!" Hannah yells. "Chloe, Karson, Alex, and Claire, bend down until your strings are touching the ground. Okay, now, Sam, walk forward three steps and then stop." I follow her directions. "Okay, now take a big step over the ball." I make sure to really bring my knee up to avoid hitting or kicking the ball. "Good! Now take three more steps and turn around." I'm now the opposite of where I started, between Karson and Claire. "Everyone else can stand up again," Hannah says. 

"Chloe and Alex, you guys need to switch places. Chloe, you stay where you are, and Alex, you take two steps to the left. Okay, now walk behind Chloe and keep your string up high above your head. Yeah, just like that. Perfect!" 

The game continues like this for several minutes as Hannah guides us over, under, and around each other until our ball is finally unraveled. "Open your eyes, everyone!" yells Hannah. I look around, and we are the first team to have our ball unraveled. Yes! Hannah, Chloe, Claire, Alex, Karson, and I are all giving each other high fives and cheering. "I'm impressed with how well you guys listened! Great job!" Hannah yells. "No, great job giving us directions, Hannah!" says Claire. 

"Yesss. That's how it's done!" Karson yells as she scoops Hannah up into a hug. You'd think that we had just won a major soccer game with how we are celebrating. 

The other three teams finish fairly quickly behind us. Coach Jennings gathers everyone together and starts talking about the team dinner we will be having, and I can't help but think that this is one of the best days that I have ever had. I met new, awesome people, I laughed, and I played some really fun games. I hope this warm feeling hangs around for a while.


End file.
